Overexpression of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is implicated in the development and progression of several chronic diseases including atherosclerosis, ischemia, cancer, Alzheimer's disease and diabetes, among others. Although monoclonal antibodies have been used to target RAGE in various animal models, a “humanized” version of these antibodies has yet to be developed. This technology is a humanized version of a mouse anti-RAGE antibody that maintains comparable levels of RAGE-binding activity. Further research and development is ongoing and may one day lead to new diagnostic and therapeutic tools for many diseases.
The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily of cell surface molecules (Buckley et al.). RAGE is a pattern-recognition receptor capable of binding a diverse range of ligands and is expressed at low levels in most normal tissue. (Buckley et al.). RAGE overexpression is implicated in the development and progression of atherosclerosis, ischemia, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and other illnesses, indicating RAGE as a potential therapeutic target. Studies have shown that monoclonal anti-RAGE mouse antibodies are useful diagnostic and imaging tools in both mice and pigs because of increased uptake at related disease sites. (Johnson L L, et al., 2012; Johnson L L, et al., 2014)